Operation KnightFall  The Fall of Mace Windu
by Sarcanth
Summary: AU What if Mace Windu didn't go to Palpatine's Office to arrest him, what if he sent Anakin with the team instead. Mace's fall during Operation KnightFall.


Anakin walked to the entrance of the Temple, the only sound the steady tramp of the troopers' boots on the duracrete behind him. As he advanced through the entrance he held up a hand signalling the troopers to hold where they were. With only Commander Appo at his heels he moved forward into the Entrance Chamber with its arched ceiling and vast number of columns, as he walked he felt the eyes of the Jedi upon him. Suddenly He was there striding toward Anakin, His unlit lightsabre in easy reach on His belt. "Anakin" He said His voice deep and sonorous echoing in the halls around them "What have you done?" He questioned but His eyes showed no question, merely hope that Anakin would be as broken by this as He was, but He was to be disappointed. "What I had to do, Master Windu, What I had to do" Anakin replied his voice echoing with the power of the dark side. "Then you leave me no choice Anakin, I will not attack you but I will stand in your way" Windu replied and this time you could hear the clangour of battle in his voice "Knights to Me" he called sliding his blade from his belt and adopting a Vaapad ready stance "I _am_ sorry Anakin" he spoke quietly his voiced filled with the sound of distant battle "but I cannot let you pass." As he spoke the blade in his hand flared to life casting his face into sharp relief in it's amethyste glow. Suddenly the Entrance Chamber was filled with the sound of lightsabre ignition as the younger Knights and Masters that happened to be in the temple stepped from the shadows to assist their leader, together they stood shoulder to shoulder in the defence of the Temple against this newest evil. At a word from Commander Appo the might of the 501st advanced through the entrance to a battle that most would not return from. Anakin looked Master Windu in the eye and with a glint of yellow in his eye he spoke quietly "I would expect nothing less of you Master Windu."

In an instant the battle was joined as Jedi, Sith and Republic Trooper alike hurled themselves at each other in flurry of violence that shook the Temple to it's very foundations. Master Windu stood his ground as the battle raged around him, his blade flickering left and right weaving an effortless defensive shield around himself deflecting blaster bolts as if they were not even there. Suddenly Anakin was there in front of him, his blade a blur as he leaped and whirled around Windu striking, advancing, retreating, always pushing, looking for an opening. Windu was his equal, his blade always moving, his defence always shifting. Every attack was cast aside as though he could see it happening before it did, but slowly, ever so slowly, as Anakin drew on the raw power of the Dark Side, he began to gain the upper hand and Windu's defence became more and more hurried. As each second passed more and more strikes began to pass through his outer defences to be stopped in the middle defences and soon strikes began to push through to his inner defences, pushing him harder and faster than any Blade Master Windu had ever faced. Suddenly it all became clear to Windu, this… this was a battle that he could not hope to win. As this realisation came to him he gave himself over fully to the force making himself a conduit of the power of the Light Side, its power shining through him, surrounding him in an aura of light so bright that it hurt to look at it. The power burned through him pushing him to unimagined leaps and attacks, each more dangerous and successful than the last. If he could hold Anakin only a little longer perhaps some of the Jedi and younglings could escape and if that happened maybe it would make his sacrifice that little bit more meaningful, perhaps there would be some Light left in this universe. The force sang through his body as this all went through his head and he threw himself into the fight, dancing in the symphony of destruction around him. His blade dancing, flaring, biting until finally he made a mistake, an overextension, a momentary lapse and Anakin pounced, driving his blade through the legendary Master, stopping him in mid dance.

Windu collapsed onto Anakin who held Windu to him and whispered, his voice once again normal "I am sorry Master but it was necessary." Suddenly Anakin felt the biting sting of a blade slicing through his arm cleaving it clean from his body. His last act complete Windu looked up at Anakin and said in his sonorous voice "He will be the end of you Anakin" then slowly he faded away.

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><p>A\N Just a little plot bunny that bit me last night and wouldn't let go. A little AU but still with the same ending as the movies, just a little more inline with how I wish the movies had been. Inspired in part by the Deception trailer for The Old Republic. And yes the capitals on the He's and His' in the early parts are a stylistic choice not a mistake.<p>

This story is an experiment both with a style of writing I've never tried before and with uploading it to this site. Please let me know what you think, constructive criticism is always welcome but please no flames.


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